Sill lockout device



Nov. 9, 1965 N. E. BATESON SILL LOCKOUT DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug. 4, 1964 l/VVE/VTOR NORMAN E. BATESON Hi-F Nov. 9, 1965 N. E.BATESON SILL LOCKOUT DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1964 INVENTORNORMAN E. BA TESON 1965 N. E. BATESON 3,

SILL LOCKOUT DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 1964 5 SheetsSheet 3 92 INVENTORNORMAN E. BATESON Nov. 9, 1965 Filed Aug. 4, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q! Ni 1 I I Q j 1 iii L E Li DJ wyg INVENTOR l NORMAN E. BATESON fi-PE Nov.9, 1965 N. E. BATESON 3,216,590

S ILL LOCKOUT DEVI GE Filed Aug. 4, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORNORM/1N E. BATE SON BY R m,

f w liq United States Patent 3,216,590 SILL LOCKOUT DEVICE Norman E.Bateson, Munster, Ind., assignor to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 11].,a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 387,408 8 Claims.(Cl. 213-8) This invention relates to cushion railway cars in generaland more specifically is directed towards improvements in cushionrailway cars of the type having dual sill sections. In the copendingapplication in the name of W. H. Peterson, Serial No. 196,320, filed May21, 1962, there is disclosed a railway car having a pair of indeendentlyoperable sill sections each movable relative to the car body as well asbeing movable relative to each other. Suitable means interconnects thesill sections in draft with the connecting means permitting slightcushioned movement of one sill section relative to the other. Buffforces also move one sill section relative to the other and ultimatelyact through a hydraulic cushion thereby protecting the lading fromshocks and impacts which are normally applied when it is in theclassification yard and the like.

As pointed out above, each of the sill sections is movable relative tothe other while being interconnected to limit the total separation ofthe inner ends of the sill sections when the car is in draft to a valueabout equal to permissible run-in and run-out values. This limitation isrequired since in over-the-road service as for example, when the trainis on downgrades, there is a tendency for the forces at the coupleracting in buif to load the cushion through the sill sections and if ofsufiicient magnitude may cause gradual collapse of the cushion as theends of the sill sections move together. Should the sill sectionssuddenly change from being loaded by buff forces tending to collapse thecushion to forces acting in draft as for example, when the train startson the upgrade, the draft forces along with the force generated by thespring on the cushion will accelerate the spreading of the sill sectionsas they move to a normal separation in draft, and could possibly causedamage to the draft components on the car. Accordingly, total spacing ofone sill section relative to the other is limited for protection ofcomponents and also since limitations are set on the run-in and run-outvalues permissible, these being established under A.A.R. standards,which for ease of description will be referred to as being of the orderof about six inches.

The present invention is directed to a lockout means to join orinterconnect one sill section to the other to thereby form asubstantially straight through columnar sliding sill section whichretains cushioned movement between the sill sections within prescribedstandards, or a total of about six inches for over-the-road operation.Notwithstanding the interconnection of the sill sections, full cushiontravel of the sill sections and draft components relative to the ladingsupporting structure is retained to protect the lading from shocksarising during over-theroad operation of the car. The use of thelock-out device permits the total separation of the sill sections to beincreased to any desired dimension, for example, to the length of totaltravel of the cushion to permit one sill section to have full cushiontravel without affecting the other sill section which could be backed upagainst another car, an abutment or the like. Suitable means is providedto actuate the lockout means in order to prepare the car for trainservice or over-the-road operation.

The advantages and benefits of the present invention will be morereadily comprehended upon a consideration of the objects to be achievedand a detailed description of the more salient features of the inventionto follow.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new andimproved lockout arrangement for cushioned railway cars of the typehaving independently movable sill ice sections which permit the sillsections to be separated any desired distance since they may be lockedtogether to form a substantially unitary sliding sill, movable relativeto the remainder of the car when the car is in over-theroad operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improvedlocking device to interconnect two sill sections together to form acolumnar-like center sill to resist buff and draft forces whileretaining cushion movement relative to the remainder of the car.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide novelcushioning arrangement whereby the sill sections may be interconnectedfor over-the-road operation while maintaining free cushion movementbetween the sills as a unit and the car body to protect the ladingagainst overthe-road shocks, said means interconnecting the sillsections being adapted to be automatically released when the car isundergoing classification, humping and the like.

Further and fuller objects will become readily apparent when referenceis made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of a stationarycenter sill and the inner ends of sliding sill sections adapted to bepositioned within the sliding sill and the accessory devices includingthe long travel cushion;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sill sections and sill joiningmember including the locking device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the inner ends of the sill sections intheir operative relationship in the car;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken generally along thelines 44 of FIG. 3 to illustrate the locking components;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken generally along thelines 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the lines 6-6 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged axial cross sectional view taken generally alongthe lines 77 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the inner endsof the sill sections and cushioning arrangement when the sill sectionsare locked together and moved as a unit relative to the stationarycenter sill;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 with the sill sections unlocked andone sill section moved relative to the other;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 with the sill sections unlocked andone sill section moved relative to the other;

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are a fragmentary cross sectional view in elevationtaken generally through the longitudinal center line of FIGS. 8, 9 and10 respectively.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the sliding sill and cushioning arrangementincorporating the unique locking mechanism of the present invention isgenerally indicated by reference numeral 10. The railway carincorporating the mechanism may be of standard construction including astationary center sill member 11., generally channel-shaped in crosssection having flanged leg portions 12 and 13 thereon defining alongitudinally extending sliding sill receiving pocket 14.

Disposed within the sliding sill pocket 14 is a sliding sill andcushioning arrangement indicated generally at 15 including a pair ofsill sections 16 and 17, which when in operative relationship within thestationary center sill 11, are in end-to-end relation. The inner endportions of each of the sill sections 16 and 17 are spaced to allowmovement independently of each other, with the total spacing being anydesired distance which, for example, may be equal to the length of totalcushioned travel.

A sill joining member 18 is carried by the section 17 and is formed ofvertically spaced apart yoke members 19 and 20 which overlie oppositesides of the web portion of the generally H-shaped sill section 16. Akey member 21 is joined to the web of the sill section 16, and operatesagainst the end of the cushion member 22 in the manner more completelydescribed in the above identified application.

A cushion pad is received in an aperture 26 formed in the web of thesill section 16 after insertion of the web of the sill section 16 intothe sill joining member 18. In this manner, the sill members areinterconnected in draft by the cross plates 23 and 24 on the silljoining member 18 acting against the cushion pad 25. Total compression(travel) of the cushion pad 25 is of the order of about 6 or 6 /2inches, and in operation acts as -a stress relieving device in buff anddraft. The hydraulic cushion 22 is held within the sliding sill 17 bymeans of a bottom cover plate 27 which is bolted thereto in the usualmanner.

The sliding sill and cushioning arrangement 15 is held in the stationarycenter sill 11 by means of plates 28 and 29 having stationary keymembers 30 and 31 thereon. The key members 30 and 31 abut the oppositeend of the cushion 22 to prevent movement of the end of the cushion withthe sliding sill and thereby causing it to compress to absorb shockloading forces. Additional keys are provided within the stationary sillin the manner shown in detail in the above mentioned co-pendingapplication and therefore in the interest of brevity will not beredescribed.

Formed along the inside of the sill joining member 18 are a pair oflocking pockets indicated generally at 32 and 33 which co-operate with afluid operated sill locking assembly shown in perspective generally at34. The relationship of these elements each to the other may be betterunderstood by referring to the enlarged perspective view of FIG. 2. Thesilllock assembly 34 includes a generally T-shapcd mounting block 35adapted to abut the rubber cushion 25 inside the pocket 26. A pair oflocking flipper members 36 and 37 are hingedly connected to the T-shapedblock 35 and are adapted to be spread to be received in the lockingpockets generally indicated at 32 and 33 in the yoke member 19. Asimilar pair of locking flipper members 38 and 39 (only 39 shown in FIG.2) are disposed below the locking flippers 36 and 37 and co-operate withlocking pockets formed in the yoke member 20.

The vertical spacing between the flipper members 37 and 39 and 36 and 38respectively is suflicient to allow free movement with respect to thetransverse web in the H-shaped sill section 16. A pair of cam operatormembers 40 and 41 are positioned between the pairs of looking flippersand are joined to a generally U-shaped frame 42 which is connected to afluid motor 43. A pocket 44 is formed in the web of the sill section 16to accommodate and provide a mounting for the fluid motor 43. Actuationof the cylinder brings the cam operators 40 and 41 between the lockingflipper members causing the same to expand into the locking pockets 32and 33 to lock the sections together.

As seen in the plan view of FIG. 3, the sill locking assembly 34 isreceived in the pockets 26 and 44 in the web of the generally H-shapedsill section 16. The locking flippers 36 and 37 are disposed above theweb with the counterparts 38 and 39 disposed below and cooperating withlocking pockets 32 and 33 formed in the yoke members 19 and 20'respectively.

The T-shaped mounting block 35 hingedly mounts the locking flippers36-39 and abuts the resilient cushion 25 so that the sill sections areresiliently connected in buff and draft when the locking flippers areexpanded into the associated locking pockets. In order to distribute theforces to the web 16' of the sill section 16,

elongated T-shaped backup blocks 60 and 61 are pro- 4 vided to preventthe web from cutting through the resilient cushion 25. v

The locking pockets in each of the yoke members :19 and 20 are identicalin construction and therefore in the interest of brevity, only'one pairof pockets will be described in detail. The pair of locking pockets 32in= clude a pair of longitudinally spaced angular side walls 45 and 46terminating in straight bottom wall sections 47 and 48, which in turnmerge with transverse walls giving the appearance of saw teeth whenviewed in plan. The straight sections of the locking pockets at 46 and47 allow slight relative movement between the sill sections even thoughthe sill sections are locked together. Ob viously, any number of teethmay be provided depending upon the particular application andanticipated forces.

Similar straight sections 49 and 50 are formed on each of the flippersfor co-operation with the sections 46 and 47 in order to protect thedraft components from impacts of abnormal magnitude and allow maximumease in locking. Suit-able springs 51 and 52 tend to urge the lockingflipper members inwardly to the unlocked position when the cam operatormembers 40 and 41 are moved axially to the position shown.

As best seen in the cross sectional view of FIG. 7, the fluid motor orcylinder 43 includes divided housings 53 and 54 with an imperviousdiaphragm 55 therebetween. A suitable band 56 joins the housings 53 and54 to clamp the impervious diaphragm therebetween and from two chambersin the cylinder. A piston plate 57 is disposed in one chamber and has apiston rod 58 integral therewith which projects through the casing half53. The piston rod 58 is threaded at its outer end and joined as at 59to the U-shaped operating frame 42.

The other chamber is provided with a fluid inlet 60 through which fluidfrom a suitable source may be supplied to move the impervious diaphgram55 towards the casing half 53. A spring 61' serves to return thediaphragm to the position shown in the absence of pressure in the closedchamber. Referring once again to FIGS. 3 and 6, mounting lugs 62, 63',64 and 65' are joined to the web of the sill section 16 and serve toco-operate with the bosses formed on the housing 53 to mount thecylinder n'gidly on the sill section 16.

Pressure applied to the working chamber of the cylinder causes thepiston rod 58 to extend from the cylinder moving the operating frame 42.As the piston rod 58 extends, the operating frame 42 moveslongitudinally within the elongated slot 66 formed in the web of thesill section 16 drawing with it the cam operators 40 and 41. The camoperators 40 and 41 cause the locking flippers 36 and 37, and 38 and 39respectively, to move into the co-operating locking pockets formed inthe yokes 19 and 20 in the sill joining member 18. Accordingly, forcesapplied to one sill section are transferred through the sill joiningmember 18, resilient cushion 25 and locking assembly 34 to thecounterpart sill section and the sills move in unison as if they were asingle column, subject to the slight relative movement previously noted.This will become more apparent on description of FIGS. 8-10.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the sill sections 16 and 17 are illustrated intheir operative relation within a stationary center sill 10 which hasthe top 11 cut away to illustrate'the detailed features of the slidingsill section arrangement. The inner end of the sill section 16 is shownat 62 while the inner end of the sill section 17 is denoted by referencecharacter 63. As illustrated, the total spacing between the :sillsections may be any desired distance which for example, in illustratingthe present invention has been chosen to be slightly greater than thelength of travel ofthe cushion 22. In FIG. 8, the lockout device 34 hasbeen actuated or locked, to expand the locking flippers 36 and 37 intothe associated locking pockets 32 and 33 to join the sill sections 16and 17 together through the resilient cushion 25.

As illustrated in the plan view of FIG. 8, and the correspondingelevational view of FIG. 11, the sill sections 16 and 17 have movedrelative to the stationary sill in the direction of the arrows adistance equal to the full travel of the cushion 22, with the tongue 21engaging the end 64 of the cushion while the stationary keys 31 and 31'have held the opposite end 65 from movement. Accordingly, duringmovement of the sill sections 16 and 17, the cushion is compressedtogether with the return spring 66' to absorb and dissipate the energyof impact. As shown in FIG. 8, the sill sections 16 and 17 have moved asa columnar unit in the direction of the arrows, because the sillsections are substantially rigidly joined when the locking device isactuated as shown. By substantially rigidly it is meant that the onlyrelative movement permitted between the sections 16 and 17 is thatavailable through the resilient connection formed by the resilientcushion and slight movement between the locking flippers 36-39 andcorresponding locking pockets described above. This, however, is wellwithin limitations on run-in and run-out imposed by A.A.R. standards,and serves to relieve stresses which are insufiicient to cause movementof the sill sections relative to the lading.

Referring now to the plan view of FIG. 9, and the correspondingsectional view in elevation of FIG. 12, the dual sill arrangement ofFIG. 8 is shown with the locking flippers 36-39 in the unlockedcondition and the sill sections 16 and 17 in the respective positionsoccupied after an impact has been applied to the sill section 16, butbefore the sill section 16 has been returned or extended. Assume forexample, that under the above impact conditions the sill section 17 isheld from movement by being against a car having the brakes set or thelike when the impact is applied to the sill section 16. During movementof the sill section 16, the tongue 21 engages the end 64 of the cushion22 While the keys 31 and 31 and abutment blocks 67 and 68 carried by thesill section 17 hold the end 65 of the cushion 22 against movement. Theinner end 62 of the sill section 16 is spaced a slight amount from theinnerend 63 of the sill section 17 after complete collapse of thecushion, so as to permit complete independence in the operability of onesill section relative to the other. By permitting the separation of theends of the sill to equal the total travel of the cushion, the sillsections 16 and 17 may be made of lighter construction since therequired resistance to flexure under compressive loads is reduced. Amarked reduction in the total compressive load transferred from one sillsection to the other is obtained by permitting the major portion of thedynamic load to be dissipated in the cushion.

FIGS. 10 and 13 illustrate the relative position assumed by the sillsections 16 and 17 on a bull impact applied to the sill section 17 inthe direction of the arrows. Under this arrangement the stops 67 and 68engage the end 65 of the cushion 22 and urge it in the direction of thearrows. The opposite end 64 of the cushion 22 is engaged by thenon-movable or stationary key 38 attached to the flanges 12 and 13 ofthe stationary sill section and a corresponding key in the stationarysill (FIG. 3). As the sill section 17 moves in the direction of thearrows, the cushion 22 is fully compressed to protect the lading and thestructural components of the car.

The dimensional relationship of the inner ends 62 and 63 of the sillsections 16 and 17 in the embodiment shown is such that full collapse ofthe cushion is permitted without engagement of the ends 62 and 63 of thesill section for the reasons previously noted. As explained above, it isobvious that the initial spacing of the sill sections at rest or afterimpact may be increased or decreased any desired amount depending uponthe requirements of the design and associated considerations.

As is evidenced by an inspection of FIGS. 9, 10, 12 and 13, the novellocking arrangement of the present invention permits operation of thesill sections 16 and 17 independently of each other. As shown in FIGS. 8and 11, when the sill sections 16 and 17 are resiliently joined togetherthrough the actuation of the locking assembly 34, they move as acolumnar unit relative to the stationary center sill 11, assuming theforces are sufiicient to overcome the resisting force of the hydrauliccushion 22. Consider, for example, the car as being in over-the-roadoperation and forces are applied which tend to accelerate the sillsections 16 and 17 in one direction or the other. Assume further, thatthe rate of acceleration of the sections 16 and 17 as a columnar unit isfaster or slower than the acceleration of the stationary center sill 11supporting the lading. Under these circumstances, the sill sections 16and 17 will move relative to the center sill 11 activating the cushion22 in the manner shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 to protect the lading.Obviously, if the accelerating forces are in the opposite direction fromthat shown in the figures, the cushion will be held against the fixedkeys 30 and 31' and the end 65 of the cushion 22 then moves with thestops 67 and 68 to close the cushion.

The foregoing discussion presupposes that the applied forces aresuflicient to overcome the resisting forces of the cushion 22. Prior toactuation of the hydraulic cushion 22, the rubber cushion 25 iscompressed absorbing the initial shock or impact of the acceleratingforce, and also those impacts arising in train operation which areinsuflicient to actuate the hydraulic cushion 22. Throughout thismovement, the couplers (not shown) which are mounted on the ends of thesill sections 16 and 17 remain spaced apart a substantially constantdistance as long as the sill sections 16 and 17 are locked together. Bysubstantially constant distance it is meant that the normal limitationson run-in and run-out permitted during operation under prevailingstandards remain available to protect the sill sections, couplers, andassociated components. However, it is contemplated that total movementof one section relative to the other will not exceed establishedstandards. In the present design, the rubber cushion 25 whichresiliently joins the sill sections in both draft and buff when they arein the locked condition permits one sill section to shift slightlyrelative to the other. In addition, high impact or shock forcesoccurring when one sill sect-ion is fixed and a longitudinal impact isapplied to the opposite sill, the locking members are free to move 5slight amount for example, approximately one inch, due to the uniqueconstruction of the locking assembly 34. Obviously, forces of thismagnitude are not anticipated in normal train operation and suchmovement is only provided primarily to protect the sill section fromforces which conceivably could occur and possibly cause damage.

It is contemplated that the fluid motor 43 will be connected to asuitable source of fluid supply which, for example, may comprise thetrainline on the railway car. Other forms of fluid supply are equallysuitable, and it is further contemplated that control of such supplywill be in the engine of the train. When the car having the sillarrangement above described is made up Within the train forover-the-road service, the energizing or filling of the brake cylinderswith air preparatory to leaving the yards causes the cylinder or fluidmotor 43 to come under pressure, actuating the U-shaped frame 42 to movethe cams 40 and 41 axially, locking the sill sections together forover-the-road service.

When the car is disconnected from the train, the air supply is lost,de-energizing the cylinder or fluid motor 43 and permitting the spring61 to return the frame 42 to the position shown in FIG. 7. The lockingflippers 3639 are drawn toward each other by means of the springs 50 and51, and the sill sections 16 and 17 now function independently of eachother as described above.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with asingle embodiment, it is not intended that this embodiment nor thelanguage employed in dell scribing the same be li miting inasmuch assuch was done in the interest of clearly describing the invention.Therefore, any limitations imposed are intended to be within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A railway car having a pair of sill sections, each of said sillsections being mounted in said car in substantial longitudinal alignmentand being longitudinally movable relative to said car and each other,cushion means interposed between the inner ends of said sill sectionsand operable to absorb forces in buff and draft applied to said sillsections thereby to protect the lading carried by said car, meansinterconnecting said sill sections in draft to limit the totalseparation of said sill sections when in draft, lockout means toselectively fix said sill sections against movement relative to eachother in buff and draft to form a substantially rigid column-likesliding sill, said lockout means being operable to join said sillsections with out impairing the free cushion movement of said sillsections as a unit relative to said car whereby over-the-road shocks inbuff and draft will be absorbed and dissipated.

2. In a cushion underframe railway car having a lading protection energyabsorbing cushioning means acting between the car body and a slidingsill including a plurality of endwise positioned sill sections forabsorbing a portion of the energy of the impact at the couplers carriedat the remote end of said sill sections and thereby protectingthe ladingcarried by the car from damage, each of said sliding sill sections beingmovable relative each to the other upon buff impact from a neutralposition and restored to said neutral position by said cushioning meanswherein the length of said sliding sill between the remote ends thereofis of a selected length, the improvement comprising locking meansjoining said sill sections each to the other for movement relative tosaid car as a column-like member of fixed length, said locking meansbeing mounted on said one sill section and engageable with the othersill sections to permit free travel of said sill sections relative tosaid car whereby cushioned movement of said sill sections relative tosaid car is retained while said sill sections retain a fixed length inbuff and draft after said locking means is engaged.

3. In a railway car having a stationary center sill extending lengthwisethereof, a sliding sill unit and cushioning arrangement including aplurality of endwise positioned sill sections slidably received withinsaid stationary center sill, means interconnecting said sill sectionsfor movement of said sections relative to each other within saidstationary sill an amount in excess of normal run-in and run-outlimitations, and lading protection cushioning means operative inconjunction with each of said sliding sill units, the improvementcomprising the provision of lockout means to selectively fix said sillsections against movement relative to each other thereby to form whenlocked out a substantially rigid straight through sliding sill movablerelative to said stationary sill and operative to compress said cushionmeans when said sill sections move as a unit relative to said stationarycenter sill, while maintaining movement of said sill sections relativeto each other within prescribed operational limitations.

4. In a railway car having a stationary center sill, a pair of sillsections slidably received in said stationary sill, each of said sillshaving the inner end thereof longitudinally spaced from the other, meansinterconnecting said sill section in draft to limit the total separationbetween the inner ends thereof without impairing the free movement ofeach of said sections relative to said car and each toward the other,and cushion means interposed between said sill sections, the improvementcomprising providing lockout means to selectively fix one of said sillsections relative to the other with the inner end thereof being spacedthe total length of said cushion in the neutral position, said lockoutmeans being disposed internally of said stationary center sill on saidsill sections thereby permitting cushioned movement of saidinterconnected sill sections relative to said car to protect said ladingduring over-t-he-road operation while maintaining the length betweencouplers carried by each of said sill sections substantially constant.

5. A railway car having a stationary center sill slidably receiving apair of sill sections in substantial longitudinal alignment, said sillsections having the inner end thereof spaced apart and being movablerelative each to the other and relative to said stationary center sill,cushion means between the inner ends of said sill sections, abutmentmeans carried by said center sill acting to hold one end of said cushionmeans from movement relative to said stationary center sill when anaxial force is applied at the opposite end of one of said sill sectionstowards said abutment means, means interconnecting said sill sections indraft to limit the total separation between the inner ends thereof, andlockout means to join one of said sill sections to the other forover-the-road operation of said car, said lockout means precludingsubstantial relative movement between said sill sections whilepermitting longitudinal movement of said sill sections as an integralcolumnar unit relative to said car, such movement compressing saidcushion means against said abutment and thereby protecting the ladingcarried by said car.

6. The railway car of claim 5 wherein said lockout means is moved to thelocked position by a fluid motor mounted internally of said stationarycenter sill.

7. A railway car having a pair of sill sections, each of said sillsections being mounted in said car for movement relative to said car andmovement relative to each other, cushion means operatively associatedwith said sill sections and being active to absorb and dissipate forcesapplied in buff and draft to each of said sill sections substantiallyindependently of each of said sill sections thereby to protect thelading carried by said car, means interconnecting said sill sections indraft which limits the total separation of one sill section relative tothe other, the total separation being in excess of acceptablelimitations on run-in and run-out, and Lockout means to fix one sillsection relative to the other to maintain run-in and run-out valueswithin acceptable limitations while permitting cushioned movement ofsaid sill sections as a columnar unit relative to the remainder of saidcar.

8. In a railway car of the type having a stationary center sill forminga part of the underframe and being adapted to support lading, first andsecond sill sections slidably mounted in substantial longitudinalalignment in said center sill, said sill sections being connected indraft and movable relative to each other and said stationary centersill, the improvement comprising the provision of lockout meansoperatively interconnecting one sill section to the other forover-the-road service of said car, said lockout means joining said sillsections together so as to form a column of relatively fixed length andpermitting said sill sections to be spaced any desired distance andmovable independently of each other when said lockout means isdeactivated.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,305,518 12/42Dean 2l3'8 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

EUGENE G. BOTZ, Examiner.

5. A RAILWAY CAR HAVING A STATIONARY CENTER SILL SLIDABLY RECEIVING APAIR OF SILL SECTIONS IN SUBSTANTIAL LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT, SAID SILLSECTIONS HAVING THE INNER END THEREOF SPACED APART AND BEING MOVABLERELATIVE EACH TO THE OTHER AND RELATIVE TO SAID STATIONRY CENTER SILL,CUSHION MEANS BETWEEN THE INNER ENDS OF SAID SILL SECTIONS, ABUTMENTMEANS CARRIED BY SAID CENTER SILL ACTING TO HOLD ONE END OF SAID CUSHIONMEANS FROM MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID STATIONARY CENTER SILL WHEN ANAXIAL FORCE IS APPLIED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF ONE OF SAID SILL SECTIONSTOWARDS SAID ABUTMENT MEANS, MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID SILL SECTIONS INDRAFT TO LIMIT THE TOTAL SEPARATION BETWEEN THE INNER ENDS THEREOF, ANDLOCKOUT MEANS TO JOIN ONE OF SAID SILL SECTIONS TO THE OTHER FOROVER-THE-ROAD OPERATION OF SAID CAR, SAID LOCKOUT MEANS PRECLUDINGSUBSTANTIAL RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID SILL SECTIONS WHICHPERMITTING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SILL SECTIONS AS AN INTEGRALCOLUMNAR UNIT RELATIVE TO SAID CAR, SUCH MOVEMENT COMPRESSING SAIDCUSHION MEANS AGAINST SAID ABUTMENT AND THEREBY PROTECTING THE LADINGCARRIED BY SAID CAR.